Dozens of New Attractions Headed to Dubai Parks and Resorts

Good news? Today it was announced that Dubai Parks and Resorts approved adding new attractions to their existing parks: motiongate Dubai and Bollywood Park.

Where are these rides coming from? If you recall, the Six Flags Dubai project was put “on hold” and a few weeks later was officially canceled. As we have mentioned before here at Theme Park University, Six Flags didn’t have an ownership stake in this park that never made it to opening day.

Instead, the brand was being licensed by Dubai Parks and Resorts, who was also financing the park. Meaning the rides and attractions that were already being manufactured or had arrived on site? Those were already owned and (partially) paid for by the company before they nixed the Six Flags plans.

While it isn’t clear exactly what attractions will go to which park, we do know that number will be fairly significant. It’s expected between 20 to 24 new attractions could go to the resort with motiongate Dubai getting the highest number of rides.

Beyond that, specifics are scarce. Dubai Parks and Resorts promises that some of the rides will be “record-breaking.” Now does that mean for the region? The world? We aren’t exactly sure. Nor are we really even sold on this concept at all.

At Theme Park University, we haven’t been shy about saying that this project has had many issues before it even opened. Opening three theme parks on the same property within a year of each other is a bold move, which borders on insanity.

If you’re having problems getting people to visit your parks as it is, it’s not like you need a reason for people to return. You’ve barely got a customer base to return in the first place. Instead, you’ve got awareness, location and possibly a pricing issue that need addressing. New rides won’t solve it.

A theme park can stack a thousand attractions in a theme park and it doesn’t mean it’ll draw in the crowds. If anything, this increases the operating expenses of parks that have yet to turn a profit. If today’s announcement is true, it means these rides will be ready for the Dubai 2020 Expo.

If the Expo is a flop and doesn’t live up to expectations? I’d be ready snap up some slightly used rides from all around Dubai and Abu Dhabi for cheap. Time will tell.